Morning Thunder
by Taylor Jean Grady
Summary: -BREAKING DAWN SPOILERS- Bella and Edward's daughter Renesmee has finally become full-grown. But she suddenly becomes just as "grown" as fast as her mother - with the help of Jacob - and the Volturi do the unthinkable. The Cullens finally seek revenge...
1. Preface

**PREFACE**

Forever was going so well.

For six years, mine and Edward's little family flourished with more perfection and happiness than I could have ever thought possible. Little Renesmee - all though not so little anymore - continued growing at her accellerated rate, compared to full-human children atleast, and was now slowing closer and closer to her fully-grown, immortal stage.

Jacob was ecstatic. He watched my daughter grow and grow, loving her more and more everyday. It was just like how he described Quil and Claire's relationship so long ago, the memory dim and faded by my human eyes at the time, but still significant.

As a child, Jacob was the best big brother Renesmee could hope for. He cared for her with such gentleness, even though he knew that if she ever dreamed it desireable, she could crush him into a fine powder. They had played and hunted for hours on end, daily, when I let her free of my maternal grip, and she looked up to him - he was her hero.

Until she reacher her teen years which, in reality, were really only about three years into her life.

At that point, I wasn't the only best friend Jacob had anymore - My daughter now joined me. There was nothing one could do that the other couldn't understand. It's like they could read each other's thoughts - Allthough if she chose to show him, he literally _could_.

Since Jacob grew at a slowed rate caused by his ability to phase into an overgrown wolf, along with Renesmee growing faster than any other child in existance, it wasn't long before they met the same mental age. Nessie - yeah, they got me, too - was now nearly as tall as I was, coming short of me by mere centimeters. Her skin had paled slightly, losing a bit of her rosy undertone, but still maintained a very human color. Her hair darkened slightly, highlighting in the sun like her father's, but closer to a dark chestnut color slightly lighter than mine. She still had my eyes and her father's facial structure. her curls were slightly loosened, falling gently and gracefully to her hips. She, like me, could never bear to cut her flowing locks and fiddled with the tips of her hair constantly.

It used to anger me so much that Jacob, my werewolf best friend, had imprinted on my daughter the day of her birth over six years ago - while I laid bleeding profusely until Edward turned me immortal. It seemed wrong and I was protective over Renesmee, as any mother - I got used to the term and lifestyle over time - would be. Edward felt the same and never dropped it, no matter how much time had passed, and, much to my disdain, I had a feeling that would be the case.

But soon I realized - directly after our dangerous and suicidal run-in with the Volturi - who ELSE would I trust to look after my daughter? As a brother, a guardian - Or a lover?

Unfortunately, allthough he gained much respect and gratitude for him just six years ago, Edward still couldn't bear another man in little Renesmee's life. Especially that man being one of our family's species' natural enemies.

Some things just never change.

The new treaty lived on beatifully. The werewolves and vampires came across the invisible, diminished line back and forth as they pleased.

It seemed nothing could harm our beautiful family.

Alice, Jasper, and Renesmee were hunting together while the rest of the family idled in the Cullen home. Edward and I stayed in our little cottage, Edward occupying himself with poking the fire in the cozy living room, while I lounged on the loveseat in front of him, reading yet another of Shakespeare's books.

I heard large wolf paws padding towards the house in the distance. Jacob, I assumed. Normally they slapped the ground with much more force than the light tip-toeing I heard now. They seemed. ... Wary. Afraid. I narrowed my eyes in thought, wondering what he must have done. It was probably just another silly slip-up that would turn into an adorable - but deadly - spat between my best friend and me.

Then a large growl ripped from the living room. Louder and angrier than I had ever heard come from Edward.

As I stood in less than a split second, I heard Edward whoosh out the door. I followed, not nearly as fast as Edward as I clearly didn't have the same motivation. ... Edward _knew _what Jacob had done already the second his mind came within range.

I froze, noticing my best friend - in his wolf form - pinned to the ground by my husband, snarling teeth at his throat.

My happily-ever-after came to a screeching hault.


	2. Chapter 1 Nightmare

**CHAPTER 1. NIGHTMARE**

My eyes burst wide with horror, not knowing if Edward was only trying to intimidate Jake into an explination, or if my husband really intended to. . . .

I shuddered at the thought. I was ready to pounce on Edward and save my best friend - atleast long enough for him to explain - his fate afterward left to my own judgement, when a fluttering heart in the distance came speeding closer, crashing into Edward and freeing Jacob.

Renesmee.

Never had I seen her react to her father in such a way. Somehow, Renesmee approved of or atleast forgave Jacob for whatever he must have done. That gave me a twinge of relief that perhaps, Edward was overreacting, as he often does, and neither of us would have to kill Jake. . . .

Edward stared up at the sky, a fury in his eyes I'd never witnessed before. Now, the only thing I feared was for Jacob's life.

"Renesmee," Edward used her full name rather than the affectionate nickname, "please, for the love of God, and all that is holy. . . . tell me that what I just saw in Jacob's mind wasn't a _memory._"

My eyes shot wide again and, fearing the worst, I hissed in Jacob's direction. My red-hot glare struck immense terror into him, which pleased me more than anything in the world at that second.

"Mom," Renesmee's remorseful face gazed back at me, "It's not what you think. . . ."

She stood, coming toward me with her arms out, palms up. A peace offering.

I looked her dead in the eye, hoping to strike some motherly fear into her, too.

"Really?" I asked, sarcastically. "Then show me what it _is._" I yanked her hand from her and put it to my cheek.

"Sh. . . . _show _you?" A look of pure terror washed over her face.

"_Now._"

She shut her eyes tight, and I heard her heart race faster than I could run. I threw my shield around her and I - which I now could control much easier - so that Edward didn't have to endure the apparently gruesome images again, especially not from our daughter's point of view.

Turning her face away from mine, the image began. . . .

It started with her decision to go to La Push, clear as a bell. It sped past her journey there, then to Jacob answering the door for her at his small home. The next scene reminded me of no one but me and Edward years ago, confessing our love for the first time. . . .

The rest made me think only of our _honeymoon._

I cringed and threw her hand away in the same instant.

Shooting an even more hateful, disturbed, and infuriated glare at the cringing mass on the floor that Jacob had become, I gave Renesmee a very serious look in the eye.

"Nessie. Inside. Now."

She suddenly became defiant. "No. Not if you're going to hurt my Jacob."

"Renesmee, I will not ask you again. _Inside._"

"And what will you do if I don't?" She shot back. Her tone stunned me. "_Bite _me?"

I pondered her retort for a split second, then narrowed my eyes. "I'll consider it."

She looked at me with pure terror, and stormed into the tiny cottage.

I faced Jacob, eyes shut, trying to decipher just what had happened. This was all so fast, so surprising, so horrifying. . . .

I shot daggars from my eyes, and somehow, Jacob appeared even more afraid of me. He phased back to his human form and hugged his knees.

Edward remained in disbelief, staring into the heavens from his flat demeanor on the forest floor.

Still glaring, I finally spoke. This was worse than the imprinting fiasco just hours after my birth as a vampire. This was so much more. . . . disturbing.

"You. . . . Slept. . . . With. . . . My. . . . _Daughter_?" I forced out, still horror-struck and fuming. Even the words sent a shudder through my body.

Suddenly, Jacob's next move startled me.

Escaping from Jacob's throat, a sharp sob echoed through out the forest - then built into an all-out crying fit.

"J. . . . Jake?" I said, straightening from the crouch I didn't even realize I'd slipped into. I'd never seen him cry before. Heard, once, long ago... But never seen.

Edward shot up, sitting up straight on the ground.

"They went to Alice first. . . ."

"But why would that. . . ?"

A loud sob burst through Jacob, sprawled on the floor, covering his face in his arms. "Just tell her. Get it over with. All I ask is for a quick and painless death."

I couldn't bear to think of it. A pleading look came over my face. Pleading for an answer. Pleading for anything but what I was thinking. "Edward. . . ?"

He looked me dead in the eye, his expression full of anguish. "She's pregnant." he said in a shaky voice. "Our daughter is pregnant."


	3. Chapter 2 Decisions

**CHAPTER 2. DECISIONS**

Apparently, my pleas went unheard.

For just a moment, I was completely numb, yet lost in my own thought.

I thought, _how could this have possibly happened?_ then I realized how silly of a thought that was. Nothing was impossible for a Cullen.

As crazy as my life was as Bella Swan, the second I moved to Forks anyway, things were nowhere near as haywire as just days after I literally became a _Cullen_. 'Near-death experiences' are to 'Bella Swan' as 'abnormality' is to. . . .

So how should I ever expect a normal life to be ahead of Renesmee Carlie Cullen, already half-immortal, born a birth which her mother was the only in history to survive from, and in love with a werewolf?

Alice shouldn't have been so special. Even _I_ should've seen this coming; _something_ to this extent at least.

But that made me wonder. How in the world did Alice see this? She can't see werewolves, and she most definitely cannot see Renesmee. How did she see a half werewolf, one fourth vampire and one fourth human fetus?

If it were physically possible, I would've passed out at all this complicated confusion.

Another thought rushed over me.

_Deja vu. . . ._

History repeating itself.

_My baby,_ going through the exact same thing as I did, almost seven years ago. . . .

Young. . . . Confused. . . . Most likely feeling danger looming all around her, or in this case, right outside her house. . . .

I was in her room in an instant.

She sat there, sitting up on her bed, staring down at the floor with her arms rested on her knees. She hadn't noticed me yet, and a single tear dropped to the ground from her chin.

"Nessie?" I asked in a tiny voice, now completely remorseful for raising my voice at her outside. How dare I feel anything but sympathy for her? Especially for my own child, the_ precise reason _why I could relate at all?

Her head shot up in my direction, just realizing my presence. She gazed at me with absolute sadness in her eyes, glaring into my soul, the same look she always gave me when she was sad or scared months after her birth, when her life rested in the hands of the Volturi. . . .

"Mom?" She spoke. Her voice cracked. A sob escaped her throat. I knew it was mostly my fault. The way Edward and I reacted must've only twisted the blade.

Slowly, I sunk down on my knees in front of her, resting my hands on hers. She gazed into my eyes again, becoming slightly hysterical, and intertwined her fingers with mine.

"Renesmee," I spoke, now composed, "I know things have become very hectic in your life in just a few short moments. I've been there." I smiled, resting my hand on her cheek. "I know your father and I haven't made you feel any better. But that's changing right now."

I reached up to put my arms around her shoulders and held her tight. Another sob escaped her lips, and she tightened her grip around my torso. "I love you, mom," she gasped out with another sob.

"I love you, too." I squeezed her once, then loosened my grip. I put one hand on each of her warm, tear-stained cheeks. "But I need you to calm down, just for a moment, and tell me something."

The sobs stopped in seconds. "Okay." She sniffed once. "What is it, mom?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep, useless breath. "I need you to tell me what you want to do."

She knew what I meant the instant I said it.

She looked down, sorting out her thoughts. Then she looked me in the eye. Without a word, she put one finger to my lip, and showed me her answer.

In one perfect image, I saw my daughter, sitting on the large couch in the Cullen home, smiling down at a small, bundled, dark-skinned child in her arms. As part of the illusion - I felt a need for the image. The same need I felt long ago, in that tiny hotel bathroom, holding my stomach while Edward held me.

The scene faded away.

I smiled and chuckled softly. I grasped both of her hands in mine, and gave her a small kiss on the forehead. "You are more like me than you will ever know."


End file.
